1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ground shaping machine comprising one or more rollers for re-compacting the soil and/or for creating furrows in a soil for sowing or transplanting.
2. Discussion of the Background
In the agricultural sector, an example of a machine of this type is disclosed in FR 2 763 279 in the name of the present applicant. The roller of this machine is fitted with semi-hollow tyres and is designed solely for working on agricultural land. When the machine travels on a road, the roller must be carried, to ensure that its tyres do not run on the road, which would cause rapid wear. The machine including the roller is therefore provided with retractable carrying wheels which can be shifted between a working position, in which the roller rests freely on the ground, and a road position, in which the roller is supported above ground level.
In this type of machine, the carrying wheels in the working position, in other words the retracted position, do not have a soil preparation function. The overall size of the roller, or assembly of rollers, therefore covers the whole working width in the working position. The multiplicity of carrying wheels and rollers across the whole working width makes this agricultural machine complicated. The machine is heavy, resulting in high power consumption.
The present applicant has proposed a semi-mounted agricultural machine whose roller, fitted with its tyres, can work in fields to create furrows in the soil and can then travel on a road without the need to raise the roller. A machine of this type is described in FR 2 841 733. This machine avoids the use of retractable carrying wheels or similar systems and means for controlling such carrying wheels. This system has proved to be satisfactory.
However, the size, weight and bulk of such machines make it difficult to adapt them for transportation on roads, particularly if the roads are uneven. Devices intended to divide the tools into a plurality of rollers, including a suspension arm, tend to limit the length of the rollers and increase the complexity, cost and fragility of the complete device.
The invention will improve this situation.